Serelaxin, recombinant human relaxin-2, for treatment of acute heart failure (RELAX-AHF): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Serelaxin, recombinant human relaxin-2, is a vasoactive peptide hormone with many biological and haemodynamic effects. In a pilot study, serelaxin was safe and well tolerated with positive clinical outcome signals in patients with acute heart failure. The RELAX-AHF trial tested the hypothesis that serelaxin-treated patients would have greater dyspnoea relief compared with patients treated with standard care and placebo.

First clinical application of an actively reversible direct factor IXa inhibitor as an anticoagulation strategy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The ideal anticoagulant should prevent ischemic complications without increasing the risk of bleeding. Controlled anticoagulation is possible with the REG1 system, an RNA aptamer pair comprising the direct factor IXa inhibitor RB006 and its active control agent RB007.

Methods And Results: This phase 2a study included a roll-in group (n=2) treated with REG1 plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors followed by 2 groups randomized 5:1 to REG1 or unfractionated heparin.

Irinotecan-eluting stents inhibited neointimal proliferation in hypercholesterolemic rabbit aortas.

Objective: To assess the effect of irinotecan-eluting stents (IS) on neointimal growth in the aortas of hypercholesterolemic rabbits and to determine other local histopathological effects such as necrosis, fibrin, and inflammatory reaction.

Methods: Phosphorylcholine-coated stents were deployed in the aortas of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Group 1 (control; n = 8) received unloaded stents, group 2 (n = 7) and group 3 (n = 9) received IS with 0.

A simple prediction rule for significant renal artery stenosis in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.

Background: Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a potentially reversible cause of hypertension and renal insufficiency and is associated with poor prognosis.

Methods: We aimed to identify simple predictors of significant RAS among patients undergoing coronary angiography. Prospective data were collected on 843 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac catheterization and abdominal aortography.

Tolvaptan administration does not affect steady state amiodarone concentrations in patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

Background: Tolvaptan, a nonpeptide selective vasopressin receptor (V2) antagonist, is in development for the treatment of congestive heart failure and hyponatremia. Tolvaptan is primarily metabolized via CYP3A4. This study was conducted to determine the extent of the pharmacokinetic interaction between tolvaptan and steady state amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug commonly prescribed for patients with congestive heart failure and a known inhibitor of other drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Prognostic value of predischarge electrocardiographic measurement of infarct size after thrombolysis: insights from GUSTO I Economics and Quality of Life substudy.

Background: Current methods for risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction (MI) include several noninvasive studies. In this cost-containment era, the development of low-cost means should be encouraged. We assessed the ability of an electrocardiogram (ECG) MI-sizing score to predict outcomes in patients enrolled in the Economics and Quality of Life (EQOL) sub study of the Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue plasminogen activator for Occluded coronary arteries -I (GUSTO-I) trial.

Early reperfusion and late clinical outcomes in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction randomly assigned to primary percutaneous coronary intervention or streptokinase.

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become an alternative to thrombolytic therapy as a reperfusion strategy for ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: The main goal of this study was to determine whether PCI and thrombolytic therapy achieve comparable reperfusion rates, as evidenced by ST-segment resolution. Secondary end points included infarct vessel patency rates before hospital discharge and short- and long-term outcomes.

Transcutaneous ultrasound-facilitated coronary thrombolysis during acute myocardial infarction.

In preclinical experiments, the combination of transcutaneous, low-frequency ultrasound and thrombolytic therapy has shown improved patency rates over thrombolytics alone. A total of 25 patients with myocardial infarction were treated with a thrombolytic agent and adjunctive transcutaneous ultrasound. No unanticipated major adverse events were observed.